The Cedar Rapids City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the purchase of a First Street property in the Time Check neighborhood that city officials say is one of the final obstacles to completing a flood protection system and the Greenway Parks Plan for the area.
Sale seen as necessary for flood protection and park expansion
The council voted to pay the established fair market value of $130,000 for the property. City officials said Federal Emergency Management Agency certification of the proposed levee and flood protection system hinges on having the area clear of occupied homes. Without FEMA certification, officials said, flood insurance rates for residents in the surrounding community will remain high.
The Greenway Parks Plan, approved by the city in 2024, is designed to add 100 acres to Cedar Rapids’ park system and includes planned amenities behind the levee such as a skate park, sledding hill and multi-use green spaces. City leaders have argued that removal of remaining residences within the protected footprint is a prerequisite for the project to move forward.
Competing views from neighborhood leaders and critics
Supporters of the acquisition described it as a step toward reducing long-term insurance burdens and increasing public safety. At the council meeting, a city official argued keeping the home occupied would prevent thousands of families from seeing reductions in flood insurance costs.
“I think we’re at a point where we don’t have an option to either relocate this home, to keep it as is and occupied,” Vanorny said. “I don’t think it’s fair to further impact thousands of families that would not be able to have their flood insurance reduced because they have been, for decades, paying significantly high flood insurance.”
Local neighborhood advocate Al Pierson, president of the Northwest Neighborhood Association and a contributor to the Greenway Parks Plan, said the increasing severity of rainfall underscores the urgency of completing protections.
“Look at the rainfalls that we have. Look at the way the weather is changing. It’s going to happen. We have to be prepared,” Pierson said. “These people have known for 18 years that this is coming. They could have made a decision and moved out, moved on with their life. 1,400 other homes and people, thousands of people have moved on with their life after the flood.”
The acquisition drew criticism at the meeting. One speaker asserted the owners do not wish to sell and characterized the purchase as involuntary, saying the city has a documented history of targeting properties and businesses that do not want to sell. City officials did not provide comment beyond the council vote, and neither the city nor the resident of the home responded to follow-up requests for comment.
- Purchase price: $130,000
- Park expansion: 100 acres planned under Greenway Parks Plan
- Amenities proposed: skate park, sledding hill, multi-use green spaces behind a levee
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Property location | First Street, Time Check neighborhood |
| City action | Unanimous council approval to purchase |
| Key concern | FEMA certification and flood insurance rates |
The decision closes one of the last remaining gaps in a plan that city leaders say will bolster flood resilience and expand recreational space. For residents in and around Time Check, the council's purchase could mean eventual reductions in flood insurance premiums if FEMA certifies the levee system and the city moves forward with park construction.
At the same time, the move highlights tensions that can arise when public infrastructure and safety projects require acquisition of privately owned homes. The council's vote brings Cedar Rapids closer to implementing the Greenway Parks Plan adopted in 2024, but it leaves unresolved questions about the response from the property owners and the timeline for FEMA certification and construction.
